FA Cup to trial VAR from third round onwards

The technology will be used for the first time in competitive action in England, forming part of the International Football Association Board's (IFAB) global development of the VAR system.

Brighton and Hove Albion's third-round FA Cup meeting with Crystal Palace on January 8 will be the first competitive club match in England in which the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be used, the Football Association said on Thursday.

In March, the Football Association claimed that it would trial the Video Assistant Referee technology in this season's FA Cup, and the fixture between Premier League rivals Brighton and Palace has been chosen.

The VAR is now being used in Italy and Germany and was employed for the first time in an official game in Britain during the global friendly between England and Germany in November, when it was not called on.

"The trialling of the VAR system in this season's Emirates FA Cup from the third round is a continuation of that and further demonstrates that whilst being the most famous and historic domestic cup competition in the world it is also modern, progressive and innovative".

The trials in Britain will also include January's League Cup semi-finals.

The VAR will automatically check every relevant incident and will inform the referee of any clear and obvious error.

VARs are being trialled to eliminate obvious errors relating to incidents in game-changing situations such as goals, red cards, penalties as well as cases of mistaken identity.